Steady decline of Bengali Hindus
"Freedom is not absolute, if
you don't defend it, you lose it. If you give in to the threat of violence,
there won't be less violence, there will be more." – indeed a fine speech
depicting the cruel reality and it was said by Salman Rushdie at the concluding dinner at the two-day India Today
Conclave at the Taj Palace Hotel held in 2012.
Hindus, especially Bengali
Hindus, being confounded and suppressed by many factors ranging from the weird
saga of secularism to Islamic fundamentalism, remain candid enough to deny the
same. Why? Here is the answer – Bengali Hindus have never learnt from history,
they do not have the basic idea of the teachings of Hinduism and hence, how to
cope with the changing reality and make use of it to sustain its own identity
and true independence (not giving in to its perpetual antagonists – Islamists
in reality). Bengali Hindus, thus become the perfect epitome of the aphorism of George Santayana, “Those that fail to learn from history, are doomed to
repeat it.” And
the Bengali Hindus go on repeating the same mistakes again and again; perhaps
the same will take place till their doomsday.
Is this scribe
becoming too pessimistic? Or is he too harsh to say the aforementioned
words? Or is there any hope still? Well, the scribe, also being a Bengali
Hindu, can certainly paint a rosy future. Sadly, he, being conscious of history
and also of the fast deteriorating reality, can’t state any such.
Self-deception is bad and also harmful. Isn’t it? What else can be said witnessing
the morale (down in the mouth), imbecility, ignorance and gutlessness of
Bengali Hindus?
Do the Bengali
Hindus know their position really? The truth is – they are on the verge of
extinction; their religious and linguistic identities have become rib-tickling
or simply laughable. Bengali Hindus, from 1947, divided into two countries
mainly, India and Bangladesh, have been illustrating their gutlessness with
each day it passes. Without doubt, Bengali Hindus suffered highly during the
British hegemony owing to their recurrent protests, agitations and also
rebellious approaches to dethrone the foreign, imperialistic rule.
What did they get in
return? The defiant community became the last casualty of British Empire; they
were divided into two dominions of India and Pakistan. And in Pakistan, from
its inception, they did become the sole target of religious persecutions. The
condition, instead of improving in Bangladesh following 1971, remained the same
(in the initial years) and by now it has become an all-time low. Population of
Bengali Hindus (29% in 1949) there has come down to mere 10% and not a day is
there when no atrocity on Hindus come to pass. Yet their counterparts in India,
instead of mulling over these naked facts, prefer to remain reluctant and
occupied in their own affairs. What they do not know is that by remaining
silent they are moving to their own death sentences faster.
The condition in
West Bengal, to be precise, is out of the frying pan into the fire. While their
descent was under a carpet thanks to the crafty Left rule, it is highly
discernible in the existing regime. Myriad reports have already been
published in this website portraying how the Bengali Hindus are being thrashed,
persecuted in their homeland, created in the harrowing days of partition (in
1947) to steer clear of the juggernaut of Islamists. But the gradual (and
sometimes fast) illegal migration of Islamists from across the border into
India, went unnoticed by them, especially the Bhadralok, going on for decades
have turned them into a minuscule proportion in various parts of the state.
The condition of
Bengali Hindus in Assam is no better; nonetheless, their foremost fault has
been to seek leadership from the dying Hindus in Bengal. And the same deduction
goes for Hindus in Bangladesh too. Bengali Hindus are basically bigmouthed and
they, if there is any chance, can spend hours through talking of crises ( of
various forms) in an assortment of areas, whether it is Argentina or Russia or
Hispanic nations or even BRICS or banana republics. But they remain hesitant or
apprehensive to raise voices for their own interests.
How many Bengali
Hindus have been heard to protest against the recurrent and steadfast
muscle-flexing tactics of Islamists in Kolkata even? Not a single one; if there
is someone even, he/she prefers to remain vocal within the four walls in own
abode. Who will lend his/her ear to such cowards? No one; life, indeed, is very
fast nowadays and hence, no time can be given to cowards. There was a time
when, being influenced by Swami Vivekananda, lost valor of Bengali Hindus was
restored. Physical culture became order of the day and as per history, on the
strength of same discipline and valor, racial extermination of Bengali Hindus
in August, 1946 was averted.
People who are
dreaming to make their lads or gals technocrats or bosses in IT world must bear
in mind that refugees have no identity, none cares for them (millions of
Bengali Hindus can testify the same) and virtually, any refugee is a persona
non grata in each territory.
While more and
more areas in Bengal are getting vulnerable to Islamic onslaughts, Kolkata is
also having the same destiny - high-handedness of Islamists and their hostile
challenges to the administration and capitulation of the later each time makes
all apprehensive of the worst. If it remains unchecked, Bengali Hindus will
become refugees once more; the only option, then, will be nothing except
self-annihilation (en masse).
Nawabzada Liaqat Ali Khan, Prime Minister
of Pakistan later on, elucidating the implications of the Direct Action threat,
said, “Direct Action means to non-constitutional methods, and that can take any
form which may suit the conditions under which they relieve. We cannot
eliminate any method. Direct Action means any action against the Law.”
Hindu Samhati regularly
monitors and reports violations against Hindus in West Bengal. We also work
with both governmental and NGO agencies for proper education on protection and
ensure remedies to the Hindu populace as per prevailing law of the land.
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